A Day in the Life of Hope Wallace

Of course the worst photos I take are the ones of the person who takes the best photos in the world. Yesterday I helped Hope with assembling her new catalogs that she'll be taking to the New York Gift Show in May. Every so often we really worked seriously but there was also a lot of distraction with her fab work, all the fab art that other folks have sent to her, and decorating ideas. And throughout the time we had constant company in the form of Tullah, Hope's sweet, wonderful beagle.

This is an easy photo-op of Tullah as she loves to be near someone...

...but here she is mugging from her nap bed.

And then there was lunch. I got to ride in Hope's totally cool Cooper. We hit Home Goods then Gourmet Girls for lunch-yum.

Here's part of the package that Debrina Pratt sent to Hope for a swap. OMG! Drool...

...in the mail from Bayberry Cove came this great guy which Hope had to have after she saw mine last week. We aren't sure about placement but "we'll" play with it next week.

This is high up so I didn't get a good angle on it but too sweet, right? I mean not Too sweet, so sweet.

And so many cool put-togethers that I could only get a handful between lunch and work and more next week...

New Bits of Doojies at the Shop

I hadn't noticed a color palate theme until I uploaded these photos but fuchsia and chartreuse seem to be the colors of the day. Some of the colors are a bit brighter looking here than in person. But somewhere in the last week I squeezed in some workroom time and cranked these plus a few more. I was on the cell with my sister the other day and we talked so long that I told her, "While we've been on the phone I've finished my grocery shopping, driven home, put away the groceries, and made four...". I can walk and chew gum when I really want to. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the look, I'm running out of words and still have one more post I want to do...

Saying Good-Bye to Uncle Allen

Uncle Allen, dependable as you can get. He came when the family first moved here two years ago because Cedric had to go to Iraq then he came back in November when Cedric went back. He's Cedric's younger brother and has stepped up to the plate with a jump every time Cedric has needed him. He has been a substitute mother and father whenever asked. Here's Matt, Allen, and C.J. mugging it up. Allen has been the only other person my age to be at home during the day since we moved in 11 years ago. I told him he's the only other housewife in the neighborhood. We've become good friends and it has been so nice to know the street's not empty and that there's someone to hang out with between laundry and dinnertime and whatever. And on the weekends he's been Justin's hangout buddy.

Here's the first of two "herding the cats" attempt of taking a real photo of the group. From left: Cedric, Andre', Matt, Allen, Alec, and C.J.

They behaved slightly better for this one but it warmed my heart when Cedric said something about me taking family photos because I'd been thinking the same thing while I was taking them. They are the neighbors we have always dreamed of-just like family.

Justin, Allen, and Daniel. We had the family over a couple of nights ago as a good-bye dinner out on the deck. The tamer of the group went inside at dark to watch Lord of the Rings while us wilder ones stayed out with our Natty Boes and talked trash until the bigger numbers on the clock came around. And on a school night! You can probably get an idea of how much attitude Uncle Allen has by this photo; he's a riot and a pillar all at once. We miss you dearly already. Don't even ask me about when the rest of the family goes back to Georgia...

Fun Car

When I came out of Lowe's the other day this little guy was parked next to me. I'd never seen one before. I was on the cell with Lucas and he said he'd seen them all over Europe but never in the U.S., it's not a maroon pickup after all. It had its little lid open and I snapped the photos, peeked all around, then snuck back into my car.

A minute later there were several other folks surrounding the car and doing the same that I'd been embarrassed about. I got back out and got some questions answered and got to discuss it with fun people. The owner didn't show up the whole time; probably hiding near the exit door until we left.

No surprise about the name, it probably get 120 miles to the gallon, but it was too cute to not photograph or post about.

Jumping with Spring Inside and Out

The time finally came...time to spruce up and bust out the flowers-Yippie!!!! Last weekend after spending 11 years with a tiny crack running the length of our porch I finally decided NOW. Saturday was the day; sunny, dry, not too hot, not too cool...just right. Paul and I cleared the porch the night before and he power washed. I spackled then painted with concrete floor paint and it looks great. One of those "Why did it take us so long?" things. I hadn't felt secure enough about the products out there until doing some research this year. Got it at our local Ace Hardware.Sometimes it's meant to be not to sell something as in the clock table I made above. I fits perfectly and allows much more room than the bench I had there before.

I did a no-sew recovering of the wicker cushions.

Detail of crown of crock below. I bought three from a man, put two in the shop, and had to have the "5" for myself. 5 is important to me and Janine as that our birth date. And, come on, a crown!

With petunias.

And finally safe enough to invest in the hanging baskets, oh boy!

And inside...in anticipation of getting a new couch (that will have its own post, a sofa I rescued at the dump), I started fiddling with furniture placement, etc. in our living room (ours is really a LIVING ROOM) we don't have a formal one, just one room we live in. HAD to get a new table for between the chairs. I had a huge assortment to choose from at The Pink Cabbage, of course, and found this one at Sweet Finds that's the perfect size, shape, and even has a shelf, and I didn't even have to paint it.

Also at Sweet Finds was this pink vase that "spoke to me", then the small bust from From The Heart at "The Cabbage", and topped off with glass grapes from No.5 at, wait for it, The Pink Cabbage. They all spoke the same language so got together on the table.

And my little vignette on a favorite plate; a couple of Jill Schwartz's jewelry pieces, one of my own, this and that, and a wonderful old photo album. Yum...